SPIRITUAL ADULTERY

“But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.”  (Ezekiel 16:15) 

God is love—and He is a jealous God.  He will share us with no other lover.  God demands that we who are loved absolutely, return that love to Him exclusively.  To fail to love the Lord with all our being is tantamount to spiritual adultery.  With graphic words that are enough to make a sailor blush, Ezekiel 16 describes the unfaithfulness of Israel.  These lessons are still applicable to the church today as the bride of Christ. 

The chapter begins with a description of Israel’s pitiful condition (v.1-5).  God tells how He came to love them.  They were a tiny people without promise of life.  Like a baby abandoned at birth—cast away and without hope—that is a picture of their spiritual condition.  There was nothing they could do to save themselves.  That is our state without Christ.  We are hopeless and helpless, dying in our sins. 

The saga continues with a picture of God’s precious compassion (v.6-14).  In their death throes, God reached out to them in sovereign grace and imparted life to them.  Not only did He rescue them, He cared for them as they grew, and brought them into His heart as His bride—clothing them and entering a covenant with them.  They were exalted as the bride of the King.  The church is the Bride of Christ through His grace as He has redeemed us, and promised us His fidelity.  He has clothed us in righteousness.  How could we be unfaithful to such a Lover? 

Israel did, and we may.  Next we witness Israel’s pornographic corruption (v.15-34).  Pornographic is the best description for the vile manner in which they gave themselves to idols.  Corruption defines the moral filth that marked their depravity.  God is serious about this sin.  The first two of the Ten Commandments—those fundamental moral standards—demand that we worship God exclusively and properly.  They were insatiable in their idolatry—even offering their children as sacrifices!  When we look lustfully at the things of this world, surrender our hearts to them, and give that which God has bestowed on us to another, it is a foul and filthy thing!  So quickly we forget the goodness of God and wander from the Lover of our Soul! 

This brought God’s painful correction (v.35-59).  God would begin by exposing them to shame by the heathen nations with whom they had cavorted.  As death was the penalty for those who committed physical adultery, the death of multitudes in Israel would be the tragic consequence of their lewd behavior.  God loves us too much to let us go.  It is not only for His glory, but for our good as well, that He uses the chastening rod to break us of our rebellion.  God may have straying children, who become suffering children, but He will not have spoiled children! 

The chastening will do its job as the chapter closes with God’s promised covenant (v.60-63).  The covenant God makes is an everlasting one.  Their unfaithfulness would not void God’s everlasting love.  There is coming a day when Israel will return with tears of repentance to the Lord.  They will find Him waiting with open arms!  Someone has said, “It is impossible for you to do anything that would make God love you more and impossible for you to do anything that would make Him love you less!”  Let us love Him with all we are!

THE REACH OF REDEMPTION

But Ruth said:

“Entreat me not to leave you,

 Or to turn back from following after you;

 For wherever you go, I will go;

 And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

 Your people shall be my people,

 And your God, my God.”  (Ruth 1:16)

The book of Ruth reveals the road to redemption.  It affords an Old Testament picture of a New Testament principle.  The road to redemption begins in Moab and ends in Bethlehem—a way out of a place that God called His wash pot and into the place meaning “house of bread.”  Chapter one of Ruth focuses on God reaching down in love.

Redemption begins with God’s sovereign act (v.1-4).  There was a famine in the house of bread.  Elimelech packs up his family and migrates to Moab, seeking greener pastures.  Though his name meant, “My God is King,” he was in rebellion against God’s will, walking by sight rather than by faith.  Canaan, despite its present woe was to be preferred over Moab and its pervasive wickedness.  Its inhabitants were the descendants of Lot’s incest with his daughter.  Moabites worshipped Chemosh, offering their little children in fire as sacrifices.  “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more….”  (Rom.5:20b)  Despite Elimelech’s sin, God was still King and in His sovereign grace had chosen to overrule his straying child’s disobedience and reach a Moabite girl who was not looking for God.  God, however was looking for her.  As I survey my past, I can see how God was working even during my period as a prodigal to reach me—circumstances that He directed to drive me to Himself.

Two weddings and three funerals took place in Moab (v.3-5).  The chastisement of God fell upon Elimelech and his sons.  They were defiant against God’s will, going where they should not and marrying those they ought not.  “The wages of sin is death,” (Rom.6:23a).  Yet, without these sorrows, Ruth would have never journeyed to Bethlehem where she would meet Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer.  She might have become bitter toward God—many do when facing tragedy.  She could not have understood what this God of the Hebrews was up to, but later she would.  We live life forward, but we understand it backward.  All He does is ultimately for glory and good!

With the death of her husband and sons, there is nothing to hold Naomi in Moab (v.6-14).  She hears that the famine is over and the feasting has resumed—the House of Bread has become a bakery again.  It is time to go back to Bethlehem. 

Remember, that when Naomi and her family came to Moab they were in rebellion against God.  The counsel of a backslider is to be rejected.  Their senses are dulled by their disobedience.  Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab!  Orpah listens and turned back to her demon gods—into darkness forever.  Ruth clings to Naomi—grace at work drawing her to redemption (v.15-22).  This is the mystery of election—two girls so close, yet separated for eternity—like Cain and Abel; Esau and Jacob; Judas and Peter; the two thieves crucified on either side of Jesus.  Orpah and Ruth both had opportunity to go to the place of redemption, but only one did.  Orpah was not made to turn back, nor was Ruth forced to go up.  Still, grace drew her.  That is what makes redemption to be God seeking undeserving sinners. 

Have you reached up the empty hand of faith to the hand of God reaching down with the gift of salvation?  Are you Orpah or Ruth?

THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD TO AN UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE

 

“For My name’s sake I will defer My anger,

And for My praise I will restrain it from you,

So that I do not cut you off.”  (Isaiah 48:9)

The great faithfulness of God is extolled throughout Scripture.  It is a dominant theme in Isaiah 48.  It is particularly amazing when contrasted with the grave unfaithfulness of His people.  The prophet is addressing the nation of Israel—a recalcitrant lot.  He records God’s description of them,

Because I knew that you were obstinate,

And your neck was an iron sinew,

 And your brow bronze…. 

For I knew that you would deal very treacherously,

And were called a transgressor from the womb.  (v.4,8b)

That is an apt description of His people far too often.  We are marked by unfaithfulness also.  Our great comfort is to know that the God of Israel is our God; as He has been true to His Word concerning them, He will honor His name by being faithful to us!

God’s faithfulness is seen in His patience with His unfaithful people (v.1-11).  Israel was treacherous in their conduct, but God is true to His covenant.  This is the manifest patience of God.  The Lord is not through with the Jew.  He still has a plan for the hard-headed and hard-hearted people.  These wayward sons have been disciplined, but not disinherited.  The fires of affliction were not a token of God’s abandonment, but a testimony of His involvement.  The glory of God’s name is forever bound to His faithfulness to those who are identified with Him.  Whatever it takes to turn the rebellious into a faithful people shall be done.  You can count on that!

God’s faithfulness is observed in His preservation of His unfaithful people (v.12-15, 20-22)  The Creator has hung this globe in space and set its course through the stars.  All that He has made provides an environment where His people can prosper.  Before there were lungs to breathe, there was oxygen ordained.  The water was flowing crystal clear to quench thirst before there was a tongue desiring it.  When a stomach was fashioned to hunger, grain, fruit, and vegetables were already flourishing in the garden.  Even when Israel found itself in a desolate wilderness—and that due to their unfaithfulness—God provided for them.  Enemies would hate them and hurt them, instruments of God to break them of their stubborn sinfulness.  God preserved them nonetheless.  How grateful we should be for His faithfulness to preserve us—that none can pluck us from His hand!

God’s faithfulness is bound to His purpose for His unfaithful people (v.16-19).  The waywardness of our steps does not change the path He has set.  We can kick against the goads, like a stubborn ox, but the Almighty is faithful to turn us to His will.  Resistance is futile!  God is the Redeemer.  He purchases those who are enslaved by fetters of sin—shackles of their own making.  He is Holy, and will make us holy as a Potter shaping the clay.  Israel’s unfaithfulness meant they were besieged with war when God would have given them peace.  The nation could have prospered through submission, but suffered loss from their rebellion.  Still, God’s purpose is unalterable.  We dare not think our unfaithfulness is of no consequence.  Defiance brings discipline.  What we can rejoice in is that God is faithful even to afflict us—that His correction is for our ultimate good.

HIDE AND SEEK

 

How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire?  (Psalm 89:46)

Children play, “Hide and Seek.”  It is a lot of fun for kids. When God hides, however, it is not a game!  The seriousness of this is seen in Psalm 89.  How can such a thing happen?  Could this be what you are experiencing?  Is your church going through this?  What can be done?  We look into this psalm for answers.

The first lesson for us is this: GOD’S PEOPLE ARE MEANT TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM (v.1-29).  God is not hidden in this stanza of the Psalm.  “Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!  They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.”  (v.15)  One of our old hymns echoes this, “When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way.”  We have the sunshine of God’s smile beaming upon us for there is a sky unclouded by sin above us—nothing between the soul and the Savior.  This was the experience of Ethan the Ezrahite, whose contemplations are documented here.  We do not know about him, except that he was grateful for the Lord’s mercies.  He is inspired to sing, and says this will be his eternal theme.  He rejoices in the faithfulness of God—the word, “forever,” is used eight times, and the word, “faithful,” seven times.  Should there be a breach in the fellowship between God and His people, it is not that God has been unfaithful—He cannot be!

The second lesson reminds us: GOD’S LOVING AND HOLY NATURE WILL LEAD HIM TO CORRECT OUR DISOBEDIENCE (v.30-45).  His love will not let us go!  Since sin is the most destructive thing we can know, our Heavenly Father will apply the rod of chastisement to bring us back into alignment with His will—which is the most delightful place we can be.  There are two forms of child abuse.  One is cruel and hateful, where children are damaged.  The other is more subtle and that is where children are uncorrected and no discipline is administered.  They never learn the consequences of wrong choices, as rebellion lodges in their heart.  God will be guilty of neither.  When He corrects us with the rod, we may be sure it is for our good (read Hebrews 12:5-11).

The third lesson reveals: GOD’S CORRECTION MAY COME AS HE HIDES HIMSELF (v.46-52).  We may get to the place where we presume upon the grace of God and take His mercies for granted.  It is possible to be wrapped up in the world, where we no longer have a hunger for His Word and a longing for God’s presence in prayer.  Corporate worship becomes a boredom to avoid.  Little by little, we move away from fellowship with God until He says, “Fine.  If that’s what you want, I will let you see what life will be like without Me.”  Then, God hides—the hand of blessing is withdrawn and the warmth of His love unfelt.  This is intended to bring us to despair—to drive us to our knees and back to God.  Ethan presses through the painful emotion and casts himself upon the promises of God.  He blesses the Lord as he remembers the Lord’s faithfulness and longs for the past manifestation of God’s presence He once knew.  If we seek God like this, we will find Him.  God’s arms will welcome us as the father did the prodigal son who returned home.

GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH THE JEW

 

“And so all Israel will be saved….”  (Romans 11:26a)

It would only take one word to convince me of the existence of God and the authority of Scripture: ISRAEL.  There is no explanation for how the Jews have survived and thrived unless God exists and the Bible is true.  Jews comprise less than a quarter of 1% of the world’s population, yet, they have known more prejudice and persecution than any race.  The four most influential people in human history are all Jews: Moses, Jesus, Paul and Marx.  This tiny nation is continually at the center of world events.  Why?  They are God’s chosen people.  Paul wants us to know that God is not through with the Jew!

When the church was born on the Day of Pentecost, it was exclusively Jewish.  A Jew named Peter preached about a Jewish Messiah and about 3,000 Jews were converted.  As the Gospel penetrated the Roman world, increasingly there was receptivity by Gentiles, and rejection by most Jews—and judicial hardness set in to a nation that predominately rejected Christ.  Still, God has never lacked a remnant of Jews who were not only racially identified with Abraham’s line, but religiously infused with Abraham’s faith!  This is spiritual Israel—and though they are few, there are Messianic Jews today—not only born with Abraham’s DNA, but born again in Christ (Rom.11:1-6)!

The tragedy of Israel, as a whole, is a nation of great privilege, but grave rebellion.  Prophet after prophet issued a call to repentance. They were chastened and carried into captivity.  At last, God sent His Son to them, but they demanded His death.  God raised Him from the dead, and still they would not believe.  No one—Jew or Gentile—can harden their heart for so long without it having a spiritually deadening effect.  That blindness is the judgment of God for those who refuse to see and come to the Light (Rom.11:7-10).

Paul reaches into the realm of agriculture to illustrate this spiritual principle (Rom.11:11-24).  The salvation of the Gentiles has Jewish roots—the law given to Israel convicts us of sin.  The Savior who converts us was a Jew.  The Apostles who shared the Gospel were Jews.  I’m a Christian today because of the outreach of Jewish missionaries 2,000 years ago!  Israel is God’s cultivated olive tree.  Gentiles are branches of a wild olive tree.  The branches of unbelieving Jews were broken off, and believing Gentile branches were grafted in.  God is looking for fruit, and Israel as a nation had none, and so were judged—as will Gentiles be who spurn His salvation.

 God is not through with the Jew!  They will be grafted back in!  God’s covenant to Abraham was a covenant of grace with that man and his descendants.  It was renewed with Isaac and Jacob, and expanded with David.  Those promises cannot be broken (Rom.11:25-32).  That covenant was unconditional.  Israel’s sin brought chastisement and is still doing so today, but God has not and cannot ultimately cast them away!  The world is turning once more against the Jews—even our own government—which will bring our destruction.  Christ will return and deliver Israel, ushering in earth’s golden age!  How exciting!  Let’s sing the doxology (Rom.11:33-36)!